"As the demand for Micro-technology technicians continues to increase, there is a critical need for a standardized/readily available Microsystems curriculum to facilitate rapid dissemination of these highly skilled individuals. In an effort to lay the foundation for Microsystems education, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded the creation of the Southwest Center for Microsystems Education (SCME) under its Advanced Technological Education program in 2004 and 2009 (DUE Grant Nos. 0402651, 0902411). The SCME has recently moved and is located at the University of New Mexico Manufacturing Training and Technology Center (MTTC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States.

The following paper describes SCME’s “story” as to how they have actively engaged industry to improve their instructional materials design and delivery which will reduce the time to market, and increase penetration. Since the SCME has developed dozens of Learning Modules and several hands-on kits, it has become apparent that there is a need to improve the promulgation of these materials to educational organizations on a national scale in order to impact a larger segment of the student population. Utilizing lessons from the “Research, Practice and Transformation through Synergy Project” (DUE No 0903224) and “lean” manufacturing methodologies, the SCME is beginning to experience broader impact from their educational offerings that are now being duplicated by other projects/centers (scale). Specifically, utilizing the concepts of Training Within Industry’s Job Instruction, students and secondary/post-secondary alike not only receive an educational overview from workshops, but utilize the training they receive to demonstrably bring these skills back to the classroom and ultimately to industry. The faculty participants in these activities have a better understanding of the materials and a template to follow for when they facilitate their students’ learning and acquisition of micro technology knowledge and skills. Industrial participants immediately bring enhanced knowledge and skills back to their organizations. Additionally, SCME directly benefits from these “leaning” efforts thus becoming more efficient and further able to broaden their impact."